4 Things to Know About Dating a Peruvian

If you’ve started dating a Peruvian, you’ve probably already noticed a few cultural differences.  There are plenty of pros to dating a Peruvian, though even I’ll admit, after many happy years with my Peruvian partner, that there are a few cons, too. Whether you’ve gone on one date or ten, read up on my list of some of the pros and cons you should expect:

1. The Gender Role Thing

First, you’ll probably notice that you’re expected to take on a more traditional gender role. No matter how forward-thinking your boyfriend or girlfriend is, it’s likely that they grew up in an environment where both men and women carried out traditional tasks. After a while, you may find this characteristic to be endearing, especially if you travel to Peru and see the love behind all the cooking and cleaning that many women do, and the physical labor and protection that the men take responsibility for. If you’re just casually dating, you may not notice this at all, but if the relationship progresses to marriage and/or living together, you might be surprised to see this behavior appear.

2. The Cooking Thing

Next, on the list of pros, the incredible cuisine of Peru cannot be overlooked. Prepare your taste buds for some of the best food you may ever try in your life! If you’re a fan of cooking, get ready to inherit some fantastic recipes and get lots of training from your partner’s family members in the kitchen. From seco de cordero to lomo saltado to buñuelos, you’ll hopefully have the chance to learn all kinds of tasty recipes unlike anything they serve in the States. But don’t expect any recipe cards–instead, get ready to practice, practice, practice and commit those classic recipes to memory!

3. The Traditional Thing

Now as your relationship grows, you might find that your Peruvian boyfriend or girlfriend is ready to get serious and take the next steps more quickly than you are. That could mean marriage after just a year or two of dating, and kids immediately after that! While the trend in America may be shifting to postpone these activities to later in life, say our thirties, in Peru the tradition of marrying and starting a family at a younger age lives on.

4. The Language Thing

Another pro of dating a Peruvian is the opportunity to learn Spanish or enhance your existing language skills. Even if you’ve studied Spanish in a classroom, you’ll benefit immensely from practicing the language with a native speaker. Chances are that your boyfriend or girlfriend will want to practice his or her English skills too, so come up with a plan that enables both of you to learn and practice. For example, you can choose to speak English during the week and Spanish on the weekends.

If you’ve just started dating a Peruvian and want to learn the Spanish language, why not enroll in classes to give you the extra skills and confidence you need? And if you’ve already studied the language, try our free online test to see just how much you remember. I’ve found that practicing Spanish with my Peruvian partner helps keep my skills fresh, and I hope you have the same good fortune with your partner! If you have a story to share with us about a pro or con you’ve experienced while dating a Peruvian, drop us a line about it in the comments below.